(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communication and processing system which provides a facsimile communication between a facsimile device and a host computer in order to transmit a kind of task and a processing data from the facsimile device to the host computer via a public telephone line and receive processed data on the facsimile device from the host computer via the telephone line.
(2) Discussion of the Background
In a conventional system wherein a personal computer and a host computer are linked, a telephone line is used to allow data communication between the personal computer and the host computer. Usually, the conventional system utilizes a network control unit (NCU) and a modulation/demodulation unit (MODEM) to carry out the data communication. There is a case in which a simplified system utilizing an acoustic coupler attached to a telephone handset is used.
It is necessary that the personal computer of the above-mentioned system inputs code data by using a keyboard of the personal computer and transmits the code data to the host computer via the telephone line. It is necessary that the personal computer of the above-mentioned system inputs code data, stored in a floppy disk or hard disk, by using a floppy disk drive or hard disk drive of the personal computer, and transmits the code data to the host computer via the telephone line.
However, it is problematic that the above-mentioned system recognizes image data, read from an input pattern sheet on which characters or lines are hand-written, and inputs code data as a result of the recognition to the personal computer. Also, it is problematic that the above-mentioned system transmits the recognized code data to the host computer via the telephone line.
Further, a conventional system wherein a facsimile device at a user location and a host computer at a data processing center are linked via a telephone line is used to provide a data communication between the facsimile device and the host computer. The conventional system may include a fax server at an intermediate location, the fax server and the host computer being linked via a local area network.
In the case of the above-mentioned system, image data, read from an original image, is transmitted from the facsimile device to the host computer via the telephone line by using a facsimile communication function. The image data (or facsimile data) from the facsimile device is received on the host computer, and recognized as code data that requests the host computer to perform a task processing. On the host computer, the task processing for the recognized code data is performed to produce processed data. The processed data is again converted into image data on the host computer, and the image data for the processed data is transmitted from the host computer to the facsimile device via the telephone line by using a facsimile communication function.
However, when the above-mentioned system is used, the image data (or facsimile data) must be transmitted and received on the telephone line between the facsimile device and the host computer. There is a problem in that when it is needed to send massive data, a processing time for the facsimile communication becomes very long. In addition, there is a problem in that when a facsimile communication over a long distance is needed, the cost of the facsimile communication becomes very high.
Further, when the above-mentioned system is used, image data (or facsimile data) from the facsimile device is received on the host computer, and recognized as code data that requests the host computer to perform a task processing. It is impossible that an operator on the facsimile device obtains a notification as to whether the image data received on the host computer is correctly recognized or whether the recognized code data has an error. In order to obtain the above notification, it is necessary for the operator on the facsimile device to directly inquire an operator on the host computer of the recognition of the image data transmitted thereto.
Therefore, when the above-mentioned system is used, it is necessary that a full-time operator is always allocated to the host computer or the fax server. Practically, it is difficult to always keep the host computer or the fax server of the above-mentioned system in a ready condition with a full-time operator being allocated thereto for 24 hours. The cost for the maintenance of the system in such a case would become very high.